,,,~«=§§##                                          ##§§=«~,,,
,~«\=§#@##                                          ##@#§=\«~,
~«\=§#@###                                          ###@#§=\«~
,,~~«\===#                                          #===\«~~,,
,,,,,«=§@@                                          @@§=«,,,,,
,,,,«««\§#             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             #§\«««,,,,
,~«\=§#@##             the alvar fields             ##@#§=\«~,
,~«««=§#@#             §§§##########§§§             #@#§=«««~,
,,,,~~\==#                                          #==\~~,,,,
,~«\=§#@## from   north   to   south,  thirty   odd ##@#§=\«~,
,~«\=§§§## kilometers.  from  west  to  east,  four ##§§§=\«~,
,~«\=§#@@@ thousand  meters. from topsoil to stone, @@@#§=\«~,
,,,~««\\§@ a  foot  or two. no roots can fester, no @§\\««~,,,
,,,,,«=§##             dust can linger.             ##§=«,,,,,
,~«\=§#@##                                          ##@#§=\«~,
,,,~~~\§@@ here  is earth,  clay,  and  sturdy  low @@§\~~~,,,
,,,,,~\§## plants.  bushes  frame  the  strip.  the ##§\~,,,,,
,,,,,,«=#@ earth  is  bare in  patches as  large as @#=«,,,,,,
,,,~«««\=#                you and me.               #=\«««~,,,
,~«\=#@###                                          ###@#=\«~,
,~«\=§#@## cross it  to  get to the ocean, or don't ##@#§=\«~,
,~«\=§#@##          to stay where you are.          ##@#§=\«~,
,~«\=§#@##                                          ##@#§=\«~,
,,,,,««==#                                          #==««,,,,,
,~«\=§#@##                                          ##@#§=\«~,
,~«\=§#@##                                          ##@#§=\«~,
,,,,,~«=§@                                          @§=«~,,,,,
,,,,,~\§§#                                          #§§\~,,,,,